Thanks for the tips! I learned to adapt in the meantime and haven't had a problem with the system anymore. It's not quite as bad as it was when I was half asleep, but I still really don't like it.

That's my thinking exactly. It's pretty jarring having your reactions suddenly come into it when the rest of the game is an RPG with turn-based combat.

I still don't know what they were thinking when they thought that was a good idea - ESPECIALLY when in the same release they give us the option to enter turn-based combat whenever we want in meat-space, but that option doesn't exist in the matrix.

Sure, you can watch for patterns and time things, but it's supposed to be a turn-based game so surely they could have figured out a way to make those matrix parts turn-based as well (and of course ditch the lame mini-games altogether).

I also hated the hacking mini-games in the two System Shocks. Loved the cyberspace game in the old Interplay game Neuromancer.

I keep meaning to create a mod that makes the watcher IC "challenge" the player once detected, which would bring up a dialog choice. This would allow the player to either attempt to "spoof" it (which would be dependent on their hacker skill + deck and/or require use of a "spoof" weapon/tool) - or just attack it directly using existing combat tools/mechanics.

If the "spoof" fails then other IC would warp in (or possibly all IC on the current section would just start hunting the player), and the alert level would climb (and continue to climb based on IC detecting the player as per usual). The advantage of attacking it would be that there could be a chance of killing it before it can call in the other IC, but this would automatically raise the alert a fair bit (while a successful spoof wouldn't raise it at all).

If I implemented the above I'd also make all non-watcher IC that's already on the level be "dormant" until activated by being detected and failing a subsequent spoof (or if anything is attacked).

Finally, I wouldn't get rid of the Blocker IC, but I'd change those too so that you could bypass them in a similar fashion - e.g. just attack them (triggers increased alert) or attempt to bypass using some other program (again this would use your skills + deck stats + program type/level).

I think that old mod for SRR, Shadowrun Unlimited, had ideas similar to these implemented in its Matrix runs (including unique programs etc.) - which in turn were influenced by the hacking in the earlier Sega Shadowrun game.

While I as well dislike the new Matrix system, I'd say that it quite dependant on maping skills of the author (e.g. one of the worst Matrix layout that I can remember is the access to the power point in the whistleblower outro - somehow it is almost impenetrable without rasing an alarm - all while the sensetive corp data in the Tsang tower lies there, free to looking by almost any too nosy technician). And it isn't made any better with the lost turns bug.
I think that it would a lot much better should the Matrix be approached just as every other location - with it's own conversations (or "conversations"), hidden stuff and skill checks. Just a pair of ideas: a literal backdoors - tiny one-square pathways around especially nasty parts of Matrix defences that could be acessed either by having got info about it or forcing one's way into it through high skill check; actual interaction with other deckers - maybe some of them can be bribed or scared away, or say, some of them are actually runner doing, for example, some legwork for their team and so on.
Personally I would also added the variant to some runs, where decker stays back in more or less secured location and try to help from a distance with an added difficulty of gradually increasing in some cases trace value - which when maxed in sum with the matrix alarm would bring security on decker's head forcing him/her/it to make escape and leave team weaker.
But yeah, this system, IMO, not better than an old one.

Meanwhile... no I didn't continue.

Fallout 4, Pillars of Eternity, lots of games I enjoy playing came up and took my time.
This is in my pile of "maybe I'll get back to it one day". I'm sure there's lot to like.

Well I came back, for the third time. Yeah, matrix still sucks, I'm not over it.
But not throwing up on my keyboard every time I play anymore.

Done a few runs, it's a good game, except for the matrix.
I think I'll finish it this time.

_____

Edit. Finished it, was a good game.